Machine for making pile fabrics



Dec. 8, 1936. BAUER 2,063,221

MACHINE FOR MAKING PILE FABRICS Filed Dec. 24, 1954. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR. 446W WWW ATTbRNEi Dec. 8, 1936.

E. K. BAU ER MACHINE FOR MAKING PILE FABRICS Filed Dec. 24, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1936. E. K. BAUER MACHINE FOR MAKING FILE FABRICS 5 Shets-Sheet s IN VE/VTOR Filed Dec. 24, 1934 ATT'O RNEY 1936. E. K. BAUER 2,063,221

MACHINE FOR MAKING FILE FABRICS 7 Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 N VENTOR ATTORNEYY 1936- E. K. BAUER MACHINE FOR MAKING FILE FABRICS Filed Dec. 24, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

. ATTORNEY Patented Dec 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR. MAKING PILE FABRICS Application December 24, 1934, Serial No. 759,056

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for making pile fabrics and more particularly fabrics in which the pile surface is produced by either cut or uncut loops of yarns or bat. It has heretofore been suggested to form pile fabrics such as carpets and rugs by forcing yarn or bats of wool or other fibrous material between spaced members to form the material into loops which are subse quently secured to a web or backing material by an adhesive such as a rubber compound which, when vulcanized holds the loops in place on the backing fabric. The ends of the loops may then be cut or not, as desired and the material trimmed to the desired thickness or length of pile or nap.

Machines of this character have been expensive, difiicult to operate, easily disorganized and slow in operation.

A general object of the present invention is to improve machines of this type so that the machine may operate with facility and more rapidly in the production of the final product, thus insuring more economical production with greatest assurance of uniformity in the finished article.

More particularly the present invention has for its object to improve some or many of the features which are disclosed in the U. S. patent to Robertson No. 1,863,912, dated June 21, 1932.

In that machine, as in the present, the loop forming members have been constituted by bars or blades which act upon the pile forming yarn or bat to form loops between the two, one being constituted as an upper series and the other as a lower series, and likewise as in the present instance, the Robertson machine embodied feed and return worms for both the upper and lower series of pile forming blades.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine of the above described type wherein there is a more positive control of the pile forming members as they are shifted from one worm to another to the end that the pile forming members may be more accurately positioned in the loop forming operation, and to pro- Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 1, showing the mountings of the worms and transfer cams and the adjustment of the latter to vary the height of the loops;

Fig. 5 is a detached detail showing one of the pile loop forming members and its transferring means;

Fig. 6 is a view at right angles to Fig. 5 showing one transferring member with the positiwe control of the loop forming member to be transferred;

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 1--'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of one of the loop forming members showing'more particularly the detachable loop forming portion and. the recess for engagement by the centre worm to be described; and

Fig. 9 is a view of the loop forming member showing the recess at the bottom for engagement by the centre worm.

As indicated more clearly in Fig. 1 the machine frame is constructed for the support of the operating parts and consists preferably of angle bars I mounted upon legs 2. Mounted upon the machine frame at the front thereof and extending transversely is the drive shaft 3 which may be appropriately driven from any suitable source as for instance the belt pulley 4. Extending substantially at right angles to the drive .shaft 3, one on each side of the machine is a driven shaft 5 which is actuated through suitable gearing connections with the drive shaft 3.

As shown in the present instance of the invention the drive shaft 3 is provided with a bevelled gear 6, which meshes with a similarly bevelled gear 1, Fig. 2, and the bevelled gear 1 is provided with a spiral gear 8 which meshes with a spiral gear 9 on the upright driven shaft 5. It is to be understood, of course, that there is a similar drive connection between the operating shafts 5 and the drive shaft ateach side of the machine, the result being that the two driven shafts 5, one at each side of the machine, receive motion from the drive shaft by gearing connection and such rotative motion of the two shafts 5 is transmitted to the upper return worm H) by a spiral gear I I. Similarly the lower return worm I2 is driven from the upright driven shaft 5. The two feed worms l3 and M for the upper and lower loop forming members are appropriately driven from the main drive shaft through gearing connection therewith: with the result that the upper and lower loop forming members are moved in the feeding direction to form the loops and are then returned to the initial position by their appropriate worms. This particular detail of the feed and return worm connection with respect to the upper and lower loop forming members may, of course, be varied.

Mounted upon the machine frame, one at each side of the machine, is a fixed support l5, Fig. 4, which, at its upper end supports the transfer cam l6 and mounted below the fixed support I5 is the movable support H which carries the cam 18. The lower support I! is mounted on the machine frame for vertical movement and, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 4, the feed worm l4 and the return worm l2 are each of themmounted in the adjustable frame IL-with the result that if the adjustable frame I! is moved up or down the height of the loop formed by the loop forming members may be varied.

In accordance with the present invention means is provided for moving the lower frame II to .vary the height of the loops and to this end the movable member 11, which as may be recalled carries the worms l2 and I4, is provided with a screw 20, Fig. 4, which is engaged by a threaded nut 2| held from vertical movement, with the result that the operation of the nut 2| in one or the other direction will raise or lower the support I! and consequently vary the height of the loops.

As a convenient means for thus manipulating the threaded nut 2| there is a shaft 22, Fig. 2, which extends transversely of the machine and is provided with a hand wheel 23. The shaft 22 carries a worm 24 at each end portion thereof which meshes with the threaded nuts 2|, with the result that hand manipulation of the shaft 22 serves to vary the height of the pile forming loops.

Mounted upon the fixed support I 5 and on the movable support i1, one above the other below the series of loop forming members, are the two transferrer cams I6 and I8. These cams, as will be apparent, are driven from the upright driven shaft 5 by spiral worm connections 25, with the result that upon rotation of the driven or upright shafts 5 the cams will be rotated.

Associated with each of the cams l6 and I8 one above and the other below the series of loop forming members and one at each side of the machine are the transferrers 26 which are so contrived at their free ends that they positively engage one of the loop forming members either of the upper or the lower series and move it positively either into or from its operative position.

The transferrers thus operated by the respective cams are shown more in detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 wherein it will be noted that each transferrer consists of an arm 21 having at one end a roller 28 for engagement with the cam track of its particular cam, and in order that the transferrer arm 21 may be properly guided in its rectilinear path it has a dovetail projection 29, which travels in a complemental guide, with the result that as the cam controlling the transferrer is rotated the transferrer arm itself will be raised or lowered.

One of the features of the present invention consists in a transferrer for the loop forming members which shall be positive in its control and, as shown more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, the end portion of the arm 21 is provided with a head 30, at one end of which is a fixed projection 3| and a separated yielding projection 32. The

projection 32 is under the influence of a plunger 33 which is impelled outwardly by a spring 34 but which may as it moves in its transferring path be pushed back to allow one of the loop forming members to be first engaged by the transferrer, and positively held both at its upper and lower edges by the projections described, with the result that the loop forming member will be held positively during its transfer.

The loop forming members both of the upper and lower series and designated in Fig. 8 by a has a loop forming portion 35 which may be connected to the main body of the loop forming member by removable means such for instance as the removable rivets 35, with the result that when the loop engaging portion 35 has become worn it may be removed and replaced by another.

As hereinbefore noted also the centre worm, which holds the loop forming members from bending or buckling is adapted to engage a worm recess 3'! formed in one edge of the loop forming member, the construction being such that as the loop forming member is moved into loop forming position and is traversed toward the exit end of the machine the recess 31 acts positively to prevent bending or buckling of the engaged loop forming member.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide for the accurate connection of the bends of the formed loops with a backing fabric and the present invention provides a novel character of vulcanizing apparatus. As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 1 the vulcanizing feature of the invention consists of a traveling member preferably formed as indicated by a traveling endless belt which passes about sprockets in separated relation and acts upon the backing material to hold it in position to be engaged by the loops as they travel towards the exit end of the machine, and as it is desirable that there shall be no relative movement between the loops and the vulcanizing apparatus during the vulcanizing period, the latter is given a traveling movement synchronously with the traveling movement of the loops.

The backing fabric is supplied from a suitable source and passes through a tank or other receptacle 38 which supplies to one surface of the backing fabric an adhesive compound preferably formed of rubber or the like. The fabric thus coated on one surface passes over a guide roll 39, Fig. 1, and is then engaged by the vulcanizing device which holds the coated side of the backing fabric in contact with the bends of the loops and travels at the same rate of speed, with the result that the vulcanizing operation effectively secures the bends of the loops to the adhesive surface of the backing fabric permanently.

As more clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 the vulcanizing element comprises an endless'chain generally designated at 40 which passes about sprockets 4| and 42 which are in separated relation so that the upper run of the vulcanizing apparatus is contiguous to the bends of the previously formed loops and travels with them towards the exit end of the machine.

In order that the upper run of the vulcanizing element may be held against the bends of the loops there is a trackway 43 over which the upper run of the vulcanizing element travels.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the vulcanizing apparatus is preferably formed as an endless belt which is synchronized in its travel with the travel of the pile forming loops.

It may be desirable at times to alter the pres- 1g sure of the upper run of the vulcanizing belt and this may readily be effected by a hand wheel 44 which acts through the sprocket at one end of the belt to raise or lower it upon manipulation of the hand wheel.

The vulcanizing element may be variously contrived but, as shown in the present instance of the invention, it consists of plates 45, Fig. 1 which extend transversely of the machine and are connected at their ends to the sprocket chains 46, the construction being such that there is no opening between the vulcanizing plates 45 as they travel through their vulcanizing path. Each vulcanizing plate may be provided with holes 41 to which the sprocket chain 46 may be secured by appropriate means, such as rivets or screws.

The vulcanizing plates 45 may be appropriately heated to the vulcanizing temperature by a series of heating mediums 48, Fig. 1, which preferably act upon the lower run of the vulcanizing chain or belt, so that when the heated plates arrive to engage the bends of the loops the rubberized adhesive on the backing fabric will contact with the bends of the loops and synchronously travel with them towards the end of the machine.

When one of the loop forming members, either of the upper or lower series, is placed in operative position for the formation of loops it is desirable that they shall be pressed towards the preceding loop forming members and this may be effected readily by the presser arms 49 having a presser 50 which is normally held from contact with the loop forming member by a spring 5|, Fig. 3.

Mounted on the rear face of the bevelled gear I, which as hereinbefore described, is driven from the drive shaft 3 is a cam portion 52 normally engaged by a roller or pin 53 connected to the presser arm 49, the construction being such that when the roller 53 travels on the low portion of the cam the spring 5| holds the presser member 50 out of contact with the loop forming members, but when the roller 53 engages the high portion of the cam the presser members are moved into pressing position.

It is to be understood, of course, that the mechanism just described is duplicated on opposite sides of the machine, as more clearly indicated in Fig. 2, and extending between the presser arms 49 at opposite sides of the machine is a presser carrier 54 on which the individual pressers 50 are preferably mounted, the timed relation of the parts being such that when loop forming members of the upper and lower series are positioned operatively for the formation of 'loops the presser carrier and pressers will be moved towards and contact with the loop forming members.

The center worms which, as hereinbefore noted, engage the worm recesses at the central portion of the loop forming members of the upper and lower series and serve to feed the centre portion of the loop forming members as they travel towards the rear portion of the machine.

ated by a sprocket or belt 58, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

In operation the pile forming material is fed into the machine at the front end thereof, as best shown at A, Fig. 3, and as it passes between the opposed edges of the upper and lower bars at the entrance end of the machine such bars will be moved by the upper and lower transferrers towards each other, or in other words, the positively acting transferrers will be moved by their respective cams l6 and I8 to cause the engaged bars to tuck or loop the pile forming material about the edges of the two bars, and by this action also that the end bars of the upper and lower set are transferred from the return worms [0 and [2 to the feed worms.

The entire series of upper and lower bars, as indicated in Fig. 3 will then be moved by their respective feed worms towards the rear of the machine, and thebars of the lower series will be withdrawn successively from the feed worm by the action of the transferrer, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that the loops will have their loop portion presented to the adhesive surface of the backing fabric. The continued movement of the loops which are now engaged with the adhesive on the backing fabric, as indicated in Fig. 3 will then pass to the vulcanizer best shown in Fig. 1, whereby the loops will be permanently secured to the backing fabric and as loops and series of upper bars reach approximately a position near the rear of the machine the transferrer for the upper series of bars will lift the upper bars successively from the feed to the return worm. It will be noted, of course, that-the movement of the loop forming bars, whether of the upper or lower series, is effected by the transferrers which positively engage the bars in a manner, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, and as picked by their respective cams l6 and I8.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a seriesof lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each of said series, and a transferrer having a portion for positively grasping the upper and lower edges of a loop forming member to positively move the member from one worm to another, cam means for actuating the transferrer and means for detaching the loop forming member from the positive hold of the transferrer when the loop forming member has been moved to its desired position.

2. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each of said series, and a transferrer having a portion for positively grasping the upper and lower edges of a loop forming member to positively move the member from one worm to another, a center worm for engaging a loop forming member when in operative position to feed and prevent bending of the loop forming member, means for operating the center worm, and cam means for actuating the transferrer.

3. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return Worm for each of said series, a transferrer for positively grasping the upper and lower edges of and then moving a loop forming member between the worms of the upper series of loop forming members, another transferrer for moving a loop forming member between the worms of the lower series of loop forming members, separate cams for actuating the transferrers, and means for operating the cams.

4.- In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each series, a transferrer associated with each series of loop forming members and having a locking device for engaging the upper and lower edges of a loop forming member, transferrer cams mounted one at each side of the machine frame above the upper loop forming members, other transferrer cams mounted one at each side of the machine frame below the lower series of loop forming members, a drive shaft, and gearing connections between the transferrer cams and drive shaft.

5. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each series, a fixed support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of the upper series of loop forming members, a movable support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of the lower series of loop forming members, and means for raising and lowering the movable support to vary the height of the loops.

6. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each series, a fixed support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of the upper series of loop forming members, a movable support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of the lower series of loop forming members and means for raising or lowering the movable support to vary the height of the loop.

7. In the machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each series, a fixed support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of the upper series of loop forming members, a transferrer cam mounted on each fixed support, a movable support at each side of the machine frame for the worms of'the lower series of loop forming members, a transferrer cam mounted on each of the movable supports, a transferrer associated with each series of loop forming members and actuated by the cams, and means for raising and lowering the movable supportto vary the height of the loops.

8. In a machine for making pile fabrics, the combination of a series of upper and a series of lower loop forming members, a feed and a return worm for each series, a transferrer associated with each series of loop forming members and having a head portion provided with a fixed projection and a yielding projection mounted in spaced relation equal to the height of a loop forming member.

ERNEST K. BAUER. 

